Simple and Sweet Donut Pillow

Hi! It's Mandi. I'm so glad donuts are finally en vogue, because now that everyone (on the Internet, at least) is gobbling up my favorite treat, I have a great excuse to indulge in this sweet donut pillow tutorial! I must confess, while brainstorming this project I looked at so many donut pictures online that I finally couldn't stand it any more and ran to the store (actually, I walked) to get a couple of real, live donuts from my favorite local bakery. One pink, frosted donut looked just like this cute pillow, except way more tasty!

This donut pillow is pretty cute, and it's easy to make too. Check out the complete step-by-step instructions below.

Supplies:
-1/2 yard tan felt or fleece
-1/2 yard felt or fleece in the frosting color of your choice (I chose pink)
-small pieces of green, orange, yellow, white, brown, and dark pink felt
-thread in tan and frosting color
-polyfill or batting material of your choice

Tools:
-fabric scissors
-sewing machine
-fabric pen
-large circular object (I used a laundry basket)
-small circular object (I used a cereal bowl)
-straight pins
-sewing needle (optional)

Step One: Fold the tan fabric in half, and using a fabric pen, trace around a large, circular object from your home (like a laundry basket), or use a makeshift compass technique like I used in this past project. Cut out the two layers of fabric at the same time.

Step Two: In the middle of the stacked circles you just cut, trace around a bowl to make the inside donut hole. Then cut out the opening.

Step Three: Now trace the large circle onto the frosting-colored fabric, cut out the circle, and trace a bowl in the middle like you did in step two.

Step Four: With a fabric pen, draw a free-form shape on the fabric to mimic the look of drippy frosting, and then cut out the shape.

Step Five: Cut out small strips of felt from your craft felt squares. These will be your sprinkles.

Step Six: Lay the sprinkles somewhat randomly across the surface of your frosting-glob fabric, and pin them into place.

Step Seven: Using a straight stitch, sew each of the sprinkles into place down the middle of the felt pieces.

Step Eight: After the sprinkles have all been sewn into place and the hanging threads have been trimmed, pin the frosting glob of fabric onto one of the tan donut-shaped pieces of fabric.

Step Nine: Using a zigzag stitch, sew the frosting glob of fabric onto the tan fabric you pinned together in step eight.

Step Ten: Now pin the two tan pieces of fabric together. Normally when you make a pillow you would pin the good sides together and flip them right side out after sewing. That's not possible with a donut shape, so instead, you should sew the two pieces together right side out using a zigzag stitch along the edge. This stitch style will act almost like a serger and take care of any slightly uneven cutting of the fabric's edge. Make sure to leave an opening on the stitching around the outside of the donut so you can fill the pillow with batting.

Step Eleven: Reach your hand through the opening you left in the stitching and stuff the pillow with batting.

Step Twelve: Pin the opening closed, and either use your sewing machine (which requires quite a bit of finesse) or a needle and thread to close the opening.

This cute, little donut pillow brings back memories of my using an ugly, inflatable donut pillow for medical reasons after little Lucy was born. I even brought that thing to a wedding with me and blew it up right in front of everyone at the ceremony and reception to keep comfortable. Wouldn't it have been funny if I had brought this very literal donut pillow along instead? Hey—there's always next time! -Mandi

Credits // Author and Photography: Mandi Johnson. Photos edited with Color Pop, Valentine, and Poppy of the Signature Collection.